


i never meant to hurt you

by starsandfluff



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Kissing, Light Angst, Mostly Canon Compliant, except why would arya ever go west, i've never kissed anyone i hope this is okay, lady and lord of storm's end, talking about that proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-12 15:19:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19134721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsandfluff/pseuds/starsandfluff
Summary: Arya visits Gendry in the forge. Gendry is still hurt from her rejection of his proposal.





	i never meant to hurt you

**Author's Note:**

> Lol i wrote this on my phone while being dragged around a mall, We're just going to pretend the finale never happened and Arya isn't going west (since that makes no sense for her character anyway). The prompt for this was just "i never meant to hurt you" it was something on pinterest or tumblr. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this little one-shot!

"Arya," Gendry said coldly, not looking up from the sword he was working on.  _ He's hurt. I hurt him.  _ Arya thought, noting his distant nature.

"Gendry," Arya replied, her voice steady and controlled.  _ She really doesn't care, does she.  _ Gendry thought sadly.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. Arya could sense the anger and annoyance he tried to hold back.

"I never meant to hurt you, Gendry," Arya said, stepping closer.

"That didn't work out well for you," Gendry said, still not meeting her eyes.  _ That was mean,  _ Gendry thought.  _ but she kissed me—she kissed me and still rejected me. I never should have asked her to marry me. She might have still been with me if I hadn't. It was my fault, all of it. _

"I'm sorry—" Arya started to say.

"You don't have to explain—"

"Gendry," Arya interrupted, and Gendry realized just how close she was standing. "it's just, you know I'm not a lady, you've always known, why would you ask me to change-"

"I didn't mean it like that," Gendry looked at her, studying her intense gaze.

"So it wasn't about marriage then?" Arya asked sarcastically.

"It was, I mean, I was drunk and I shouldn't have asked so soon, and," Gendry sighed, putting down his hammer. "I know you're not a proper lady, I wasn't asking that of you, I was just asking you to marry me,"

"It isn't just marrying you, it's being everything I'm not, it's signing up for a lifetime of misery. Don't you get that?" Arya said.  _ I wish it was simpler. I wish I could just be a blacksmith's wife. I wish I could be with you.  _ She thought.

"I would never let that happen," Gendry said, unsatisfied with her excuse.

"You grew up in Flea Bottom, Gendry, you would have found good work as a smith on the Street of Steel. I grew up with the expectation of being married off like some broodmare, I know what it means to be a lady,"

"But you don't have to be like that, Arya, you don't have to be a proper lady. You can still be a fighter and wear trousers and ride horses. You met Lady Mormont and Ser Brienne, even your sister was willing to fight," Gendry said, cursing himself for how desperate he sounded.  _ I love you. I thought you loved me.  _ Gendry thought. _ I just want to know why. You kissed me, you fucking kissed me, and then said no. Just tell me why, tell me you never loved me, just make me understand. _

"None of them were married," Arya said plainly.

"You think I'd be the one to hold you back? I'm the one who wants you to be you. I didn't want Lady Arya, I wanted  _ you _ ,"  _ Wanted?  _ Arya thought.  _ He's over me. It's not like he loved me in the Riverlands, this was always just a little fling to him. _

"I-"

"I've always cared about you, since the moment we met in King's Landing. You don't have to marry me right now or ever, really. Just be with  _ me _ , Arya, stay," Gendry pleaded.  _ He wants to be with me.  _ Arya repeated in her head, not quite believing someone like him could want her and love her like that. She'd always thought of herself as Arya Horseface.

"I love you," She said quietly, almost afraid to admit it. He smiled, and she looked at him with eyes full of love and wonder.

"I love you too," Gendry said as Arya stood on her toes to cup his face in her hands. She paused, his breath hot on her face. "Are you sure?" Arya answered by pulling him into an urgent kiss, surprising Gendry. He deepened the kiss into a softer and more passionate one.

"Stupid," Arya said between kisses and Gendry laughed, placing another on her lips.

"As m'lady says," Gendry smirked and Arya shut him up with a kiss. 

A moon later, they settled down in Storm's End, though they visited Winterfell frequently. Together they redefined the balance of a lord's and a lady's duties. And Arya never felt the need to run away, she was home, Gendry was home to her.

**Author's Note:**

> I did a bit more with the inner monologue stuff in this fic, I hope it still felt in character. I'm really enjoying writing these little one-shots of how gendrya could have ended up together, more will probably be posted soon. I'm starting a summer class soon, so I might not post as often, but I don't know if it'll change. Thank you so much for reading, I really hope you liked it!


End file.
